What Is PlayStation Plus

Sony’s PlayStation Plus is a well-known brand with a long history, but the service received a substantial makeover in 2022. Combining the original version with PS Now, the platform adopted a tiered system that seemed designed to offer something equivalent to Xbox Game Pass, with the higher levels containing extensive libraries of games that are updated monthly.

Although not without its controversies or criticisms, PS Plus has stabilized by this point, making it a consistently valid option for PS5 and even PS4 owners. As the service offers a lot of content along with different price points and features, here are the major things everyone should know about PS Plus.

Updated on September 27, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The PS Plus Essential games were announced during Sony’s State of Play event.

All The PlayStation Plus Tiers

Rather than present a one-size-fits-all subscription, PS Plus lets users have their pick from three tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. Here is a summary of each level’s offerings:

• Essential
  – The core PS Plus benefits as they were prior to the 2022 relaunch. Subscribers gain access to online multiplayer, monthly games, exclusive discounts, and a few other benefits.
• Extra
  –
  Essential tier benefits
  + a catalog of downloadable PS5 and PS4 games.
• Premium
  – Essential & Extra tiers benefits + a catalog of classic PS3, PS2, PS1, and PSP games.

Ultimately, picking a PS Plus tier comes down to someone’s needs. If a player will only be using the online multiplayer feature, Essential will suffice and there is little to gain from subscribing to one of the higher tiers.

Premium’s central selling is its Classics Catalog, which adds hundreds of titles on top of the PS5 and PS4 games that are also available in the Extra tier. While this collection is grand, please note that PS3 games are played through Cloud Streaming and cannot be downloaded. Consequently, their performance is dependent on the user’s internet connection.

Which PS Plus Tier Should You Buy?

As there is quite a jump in price from one level to the next, a full breakdown of each tier’s features and benefits might help someone decide whether they should go for Essential, Extra, or Premium.

How Much Does PS Plus Cost?

Each PS Plus tier has its own price point to match the benefits included with the subscription.

PS Plus Essential

• 1-Month Subscription:
  $9.99
• 3-Month Subscription:
  $24.99
• 12-Month Subscription:
  $79.99

• 1-Month Subscription:
  $14.99
• 3-Month Subscription:
  $39.99
• 12-Month Subscription:
  $134.99

PS Plus Premium

• 1-Month Subscription:
  $17.99
• 3-Month Subscription:
  $49.99
• 12-Month Subscription:
  $159.99

How To Subscribe To PlayStation Plus?

The process to subscribe to PS Plus is quite straightforward, and there are a couple of avenues people can use to get there.

How To Subscribe To PS Plus Using The PS5

The most convenient way to subscribe to PS Plus is through the PS5 or PS4 console.

1. Log into the home screen.
2. Navigate to the PlayStation Plus panel
3. Select ”
   Subscribe
   ”
4. Pick Essential, Extra, or Premium
5. Pick a Payment Plan

How To Subscribe To PS Plus Using A Web Browser

It is also possible to subscribe to PS Plus directly from a web browser. Visit this playstation.com page and scroll down to the “Choose Your Membership Plan.” From there, choose a tier and select “Add to Cart.” After that, simply check out to complete the transaction.

How To Cancel A PS Plus Subscription?

There might come a time when someone might wish to cancel their PS Plus subscription. The process is quite uncomplicated:

1. On a web browser, head to the Sony Network’s
   Account Management
   page.
2. From the menu’s PlayStation Network options, select ”
   Subscription
   .”
3. Select ”
   Cancel Subscription
   ” near PlayStation Plus.

What Is PS Plus On PC?

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PS Plus Premium subscribers also have the option to stream games via the service’s PC app. The library includes titles from both the Games and Classics Catalog, although it is not the full selection. Here are some things interested parties should know about this option:

• The
  DualShock 4 is the only confirmed compatible controller
  . That does not mean other controllers will not work, just that they are not guaranteed by Sony.
• PS Plus On PC is not currently available in every country that has the main streaming service.
• PS5 games cannot be streamed.
• A PS5 or PS4 is not needed to subscribe to PS Plus on PC.
• Sony recommends a Broadband wired internet connection of a minimum of
  5 Mbps
  ​​​​.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PS Plus Premium Subscribers Stream PS5 Games?

PS Plus Premium’s Cloud Streaming is compatible with the Games Catalog’s PS4 games and all the titles found in the Classics Catalog. PS5 games cannot be streamed.

Sony has not specified a fixed date of when subscribers can anticipate new additions to the library, but history suggests that games will be added roughly halfway through a month.

Can Subscribers Switch Tiers?

Yes. If someone wants to move up to a higher PS Plus tier, they only need to purchase a new membership at their desired level. This upgrade will happen instantly, and the customer will be charged a prorated fee for the rest of the current month.

If a member wishes to downgrade their tier, they would need to visit their Sony account’s “Subscription” tab to perform the change. This alteration will come into effect once the next payment is made.

Can PS Plus Benefits Be Shared?

While limited to one PS5 or PS4 console, certain PS Plus benefits are shared among the different accounts on the system. These include online multiplayer, access to Premium & Extra’s libraries, downloaded monthly games, and games purchased using a PS Plus discount.

Which PlayStation Plus should I Get?

Ultimately, this comes down to personal preference. If someone only intends to play PS5 and PS4 games, there is little reason to subscribe to Premium.

PS Plus Essential Free Games For October 2024

WWE 2K24 (PS5/PS4); Dead Space (PS5); Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! (PS5/PS4)

• 	WWE 2K24	Dead Space (2023)	Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
  Released	2024-03-08	2023-01-27	2021-06-30
  Developer(s)	Visual Concepts	EA Motive	Team Salvato
  Genre(s)	Fighting, Sports	Survival Horror	Visual Novel
  ESRB	T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence	Rated M for Mature for Blood and Gore, Strong Language, and Intense Violence.	M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Announced ahead of time during the State of Play event, October 2024’s PS Plus Essential lineup is all-around strong, providing three great games that are fairly different from each other. On paper, the biggest inclusion is WWE 2K24, Visual Concepts’ most recent wrestling project that garnered generally positive reviews when it launched in March 2024. Dead Space and Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! are also exciting additions that are a perfect fit for a month that ends on Halloween.

Now, similar to previous months’ annual sports games, WWE 2K24 is rather niche. If the thought of jumping into the squared circle to dish out RKOs and spears does not get someone’s heart racing, this release might not be for them. Conversely, PS5 players who also watch RAW and SmackDown might have picked up this game when it launched earlier this year, especially since the series has been on something of a hot streak. Still, those who did not invest can look forward to a cool WrestleMania history lesson, an entertaining single-player campaign, and an improved General Manager mode. The roster is also massive.

Motive Studio’s Dead Space is terrific and an example of a remake done to near perfection. The 2008 original is still great and worth a playthrough, but the 2023 version does an admirable job of paying respect to its predecessor while still having the confidence to shake a few things up. The result is two games that can co-exist, and they are both terrifying.

Visual novels can be a hard sell to the uninitiated, especially on consoles. That said, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! is a fantastic gateway option that tells a gripping story fueled by very memorable characters. Try to go in blind.

• Current as of September 18, 2024

Most subscribers will likely invest in PS Plus Extra as that tier contains more than enough PS5 and PS4 games to keep someone busy for a long time. Unless specifically interested in classic PS games or Cloud Streaming, there is not much reason to pick Premium over Extra. Still, subscribers of both tiers can download and install the following titles.

What Classics Are On PlayStation Plus Premium?

PS Plus Premium celebrates PlayStation’s past, bringing together titles released over the span of more than two decades. If a PS5 or PS4 owner wants to play some old favorites, this tier should deliver.

Every PS5/PS4 Game Only On PS Plus Premium (Including Remasters Of PS3, Vita, & PSP Games)

Every PS3 Game On PS Plus Premium

Every PS1, PS2, & PSP Game On PS Plus Premium

Every PS VR2 Game On PS Plus Premium

• Before Your Eyes
• Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord
• Job Simulator
• Kayak VR: Mirage
• Pistol Whip
• Synth Riders
• Vacation Simulator
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapters 1 & 2
• Walkabout Mini Golf

The Plucky Squire, Night in the Woods, & More

PS Plus Extra and Premium’s September 2024 new games are generally quite good, even if they might not seem like adequate replacements for the month’s departures. Still, The Plucky Squire is an exciting addition to the service, especially since it is a Day One Arrival. A storybook come to life, All Possible Futures’ project appears to be overflowing with creativity while balancing 2D and 3D action.

Moving beyond the headline act, Extra’s September 2024 lineup otherwise consists of solid smaller projects. Night in the Woods is delightful, and Space Engineers can be life-consuming. Chernobylite should be able to scratch a player’s itch for horror content, and Road 96 is a great story-driven adventure. Far Cry 5 is also back on PS Plus, which is welcome but hardly exciting.

While only available to a select few, the month’s best addition might be Pistol Whip, a great PS VR2 FPS that is an absolute thrill ride. Anyone who owns the peripheral should give this game a try. Secret Agent Clank is a fun PSP spin-off, and Mister Mosquito is still among the weirdest PlayStation games of all time.

Games Leaving PS Plus In October 2024

Dragon Quest, Gotham Knights, & LittleBigPlanet

Another month, another fairly big selection of PS Plus departures. Following in the footsteps of Final Fantasy and Star Ocean, October 2024 will see the mass exodus of another Square Enix franchise: Dragon Quest. All five games will be leaving, which includes DQ 11 and four spin-offs. One of the best turn-based JRPGs of the last decade, the former will be a huge miss since it is comfortably among PS Plus’ greatest games. Builders and Heroes are also great extensions of the Dragon Quest universe, with the former focusing on crafting and the latter being a hack and slash romp.

The other departing games are pretty big deals in their own right too. While not highly regarded by any means, Gotham Knights is an OK co-op option with a pretty decent story. Toukiden Kiwami can scratch that Monster Hunter itch, and Ultra Street Fighter 4 is still fantastic even all these years later. The Evil Within is terrifying and one of the better horror experiences on PS Plus, and it will be missed. Finally, LittleBigPlanet 3 leaving is sad news since this franchise was once a cornerstone of PlayStation’s production. Early this year, Sony shut down the game’s servers, and this new announcement just adds to that misery.

PS Plus Game Trials

Besides instant access to PS Plus’s Game and Classics Catalogs, Premium subscribers can also try out a select few PS5 and PS4 titles for a limited time. Players can currently test out more than 60 games, and their trial periods vary in length.

Sony Pictures Core

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A little-known feature available to Premium subscribers, Sony Pictures Core is a steaming service that contains over 2000 movies that can be rented or bought. Anyone can create an account, but people who have a Premium subscription have access to a range of movies.

Most of the biggest recent titles will need to be purchased, but the selection has a couple of older titles that can keep someone entertained for a few hours when they do not feel like playing a game. The Sony Pictures Catalogue also includes anime content from Crunchyroll.